Implantable or insertable medical devices often employ lubricious, hydrophilic polymer coatings to permit the devices to be easily inserted and maneuvered within a patient's body. Examples of such medical devices can include electrical leads, guide catheters, and angioplasty balloon dilation catheters. The lubricious, hydrophilic polymer coatings absorb water, either prior to insertion or from a patient's bodily fluids, and become slippery, reducing the friction between the devices and surrounding tissues.